GB1578512A

GB1578512A - Buffer stop assembly with braking buffer device

Info

Publication number: GB1578512A
Application number: GB9491/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1977-03-17
Filing date: 1978-03-10
Publication date: 1980-11-05
Also published as: SE427822B; SE7802940L; YU55678A; NO146348B; NL174533B; BE864956A; NL7801895A; ATA83678A; DK121878A; NL174533C; AT368459B; FI780575A; NO146348C; FI62259B; DE2711676C3; FR2383813B1; NO780945L; DE2711676A1; DE2711676B2; YU39261B

Description

(54) BUFFER STOP ASSEMBLY WITH BRAKING BUFFER DEVICE (71) I, ERHART WILISCH, a German citlzen, of 103, Ernst-Sievers-Strasse, 4500 Osnabriick, Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to a buffer stop assembly for rail vehicles, comprising a buffer pad mounted on at least one displaceable buffer rail which is guided for longitudinal movement on a friction element, which has a wedge surface with cooperates with a wedge surface of the buffer rail, and releasable braking means for bringing the wedge surfaces into frictional engagement with each other thereby effecting braking.

A buffer stop assembly of this kind is known (German Patent Specification No.

1,140,964). The braking buffer assembly is arranged either on a fixed buffer stop or on a buffer stop on the rail and has given excellent results. In the case of a fixed buffer stop, in spite of the firm anchoring of the buffer frames or triangles, a progressive braking of the impact is achieved. With braking buffer assemblies, a progressive braking in stages can be achieved, whereby preferably the braking buffer assembly first responds and is displaced whilst braking, until with greater forces, the buffer frames also are moved under the action of braking.

After a braking procedure it is necessary to return the buffer rails to their original position. To do this, the brake screws are slackened and the buffer pad with the buffer rails are pushed forwards into the initial position.

This returning procedure may be done without difficulty by an operative. However, difficulties arise if, because centre-buffer vehicles also have to be braked, the buffers doing the braking are screwed to a rigid beam and a blind coupling extending between both buffer rails, (German Patent Specification No.

1,076,730). In this case, the rigid beam is so heavy that a single person can no longer carry out the returning procedure. Steps have been taken hitherto to employ a two rope to pull the displaced part of the buffer stop forward again with the help of a shunting locomotive.

This procedure runs into difficulties, however, because on the one hand, shunting engines are not always readily available and, on the other hand, branch sidings should if possible not remain blocked for any length of time. Also, it is difficult for the engine driver to pull on the tow rope for a relatively short distance of about 1 m and let it go at the right time, because de-coupling devices cannot be used.

A second possibility for the returning procedure consists of the use of a so-called 'draw grip' which is engaged in the track about 10 m in from of the buffer stop. Here also, difficulties arise because normally, the track is densely occupied.

The essential object of the invention is to provide a buffer stop assembly in which the braking buffer device can be returned to its initial position by one operative even if it has great weight.

According to the invention, this object is resolved in that the wedge surfaces are so arranged that the buffer rail, in the braked position, is somewhat raised as opposed to the unbraked position, and at least one bearing roller is arranged below the buffer rail which roller, with the buffer rail unbraked, is under load from the buffer rail and, with the buffer rail braked, is relieved from said load.

The invention proceeds from the knowledge that with suitably arranged wedge surfaces, a difference in level of the buffer rails can be effected with respect to the fixed part of the buffer stop, between the unbraked and the braked positions. In the braked position the bearing roller is disengaged from the buffer rail. Engagement would only have a negative effect because the greatest possible friction is desired between the buffer rail and the friction element. On the other hand, with the braking means rcleased, the buffer rail automatically lowers somewhat and is engaged and supported by the bearing roller, so that the buffer rail, in spite of a relatively high weight, can be run back into the position of readiness by one operative.With the buffer stop assembly according to the invention the bearing roller comes into operation, without an additional hand operation, if, as is usual hitherto in the returning procedure, the braking means, e.g. brake screws are merely slackened. Normally the buffer rail is somewhat top-heavy so that a slight tilting moment occurs. the tilting movement through the application of load being limited by the bearing roller. The slight inclination of the buffer rail caused by this thus supports the thrust force to be exerted by the operative when returning.

The rcturn to position of the buffer stop according to the invention requires. when compared to the usual effort for the returning procedure, comparatively negligible additional devices. These only consist of at least one bearing roller and a suitable bearing for it. By this means, complete indepen dense from the other aids mentioned above is achieved.

It is known to arrange braking buffer rails on buffer frames. In this connection. an embodiment of the invention provides that a bearing roller is arranged in the front area of the frame and one in the rear area and that the friction elements and the braking means are arranged in between. A relatively good and even support of the buffer rails in the retracted and relieved position is attained by two bearing rollers arranged spaced from each other for each buffer rail, so that rclatively slight forward thrust forces are neces sary even with the buffer device possessing great weight. in order to push the buffer device back into the position of readiness.

The bearing rollers are preferably located rotatably on brackets fitted to the frame.

An embodiment of the invention with a particularly effectively braking buffer device. which is also easily pushable. provides two parallel contacting rails which form the friction element and on each side of the friction element a buffer rail is arranged whose head can be brought into frictional engagement with the head of the associated friction rail, and in the forward area of the buffer stop. bearing rollers are arranged for the buffer rails. whilst in the rear area. a continuous carricr roller for both buffer rails is provided.

Because of the top-hcaviness of the buffer device due to the rigid beam. it is practical to employ relatively short bearing rollers in order to avoid flcxing of a longer bearing roller and the reduced rolling characteristic accompanying this.

It is understood that the buffer stop assembly, according to the invention can be employed for braking buffer stops mounted on the track, fixed buffer stops, and buffer stops for heavy passenger trains.

In the following, an embodiment of the invention will be described in greater detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a buffer stop assembly according to the invention, Figure 2 is a part view of the elevation of the buffer stop assembly according to Figure 1, and Figure 3 is also an elevation of the buffer stop assembly according to Figure 1, how ever with the buffer pad removed, one buffer rail being braked and the other unbraked.

An arrangement of buffer rails is guided on so-called impact triangles or frames 10 which in the embodiment shown are practi cally rectangular. The parallel buffer rail arrangements 11 of the two impact frames are connected together at the front end by a rigid beam 12 the construction of which does not require detailed explanation. The beam 12 carries two buffer pads on its front side, one of which 13 is shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Furthermore it carries a so-called blind coupling 14 in the middle for vehicles with a central buffer. The construction of this blind coupling 14 also does not require further description.

The construction of the buffer rail arrangements 11 can be seen in greater detail in Figure 3. Each consists of two pairs of rails 15, 16 which are arranged parallel to each other and in which the rails are connected together foot to foot. At the back end of the pairs of rails. plates 17, 18 are welded which.

for their part. are connected together by a connecting plate 19.

Firmly connected to each impact frame 10 are two parallel friction rails 20, 21, whose heads lie together and are connected together by means of two angle profiles 22, 23 on the upper side thereof. On the sides of the pairs of rails 15. 16 opposite the friction rails 20. 21 braking stirrups 24. 25 are arranged which are clamped by means of brake screws 25a (see Figure 1) to the facing friction rails. The braking stirrups have fric tion elements 26. 27 on the upper inner side which can be brought into frictional contact with the upper side of the head of the respec tive lower rail of a pair of rails 15, 16, if the brake screws are tightened. as can be seen from the buffer rail arrangement on the right in Figure 3. In addition, below the lower rails of the rail-pairs 15. 16. lower friction ele mcnts are arranged. which cannot be seen.

which cooperate with the feet of the friction rails 20. 21. which also cannot be seen. As the feet of the friction rails 20. 21, are wedgc-shaped in cross-section. the tighten ing of the brake screws 25a raises the lower friction elements and leads to the heads of the lower rails of the rail-pairs 15, 16 coming into frictional engagement with the lower sides of the heads of the friction rails 20, 21.

Further frictional engagement occurs between the friction elements 26, 27 of the stirrups 24, 25 and the heads of the lower rails of the rail-pairs 15, 16, and also between the lower friction elements and said lower rails.

With this frictional engagement, the railpairs 15, 16 are raised above bearing rollers 28,29 and 30, which are positioned rotatably on brackets (not shown) fixed to the impact frame. In the front area, before the front braking stirrups 24, 25, two bearing rollers are arranged coaxially and spaced from each other, whilst the rear bearing roller 30 extends continuously below both rail-pairs 15, 16. The rear bearing roller 30 is located behind the rear braking stirrups 24, 25 at the end of the impact frame 10.

If, on the other hand, the brake screws 25a are slackened, the rail-pairs 15, 16 automatically lower somewhat and contact the bearing rollers 28, 29 and 30. and the individual frictional surfaces no longer touch each other. This can be seen from the buffer rail arrangement on the left in Figure 3. In this position, the buffer rail can be shifted without great effort by one operative and pushed approximately into the readiness position shown in Figure 1.

The bearings of the bearing rollers 28, 29, 30 can be of any suitable form, for example roller bearings can be employed to reduce the friction. It is also conceivable to manufacture the bearing rollers of non-rusting material.

It is to be understood that not only track rail shaped buffer rails, as described in the above embodiment, can be employed in the invention, but other profiles as desired, e.g.

tubular, or the like.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A buffer stop assembly for rail vehicles, comprising a buffer pad mounted on at least one displaceable buffer rail which is guided for longitudinal movement on a friction element, which friction element has a wedge surface which cooperates with a wedge surface of the buffer rail and releasable braking means for bringing the wedge surfaces into frictional engagement with each other. the wedge surfaces being so arranged that the buffer rail. in the braked position, is somewhat raised as opposed to the unbraked position. at least one bearing roller being arranged below the buffer rail and which rol ler, with the buffer rail unbraked, is under load from the buffer rail and, with the buffer rail braked, is relieved from said load.

2. A buffer stop assembly in which a buf- fer rail is guided on an impact frame. wherein one said bearing roller is arranged in the front area of the frame and another said bearing roller in the rear area and friction elements and braking means are arranged in between.

3. A buffer stop assembly according to claim 2, wherein the bearing rollers are mounted rotatably on brackets fixed to the impact frame.

4. A buffer stop assembly according to claim 1, wherein two parallel, contacting rails form the friction element, on each side of the friction element a buffer rail being arranged whose head can be brought into frictional contact with the head of the associated friction rail, and two said bearing rollers for the buffer rails are arrnaged in the front area of the buffer stop assembly, whilst a continuous bearing for the buffer rails is provided in the rear area.

5. A buffer stop assembly according to claim 1 or claim 4, wherein the braking means comprise at least one clamp which can be connected to the friction element by means of threaded bolts and contacts the buffer rail by way of a friction element.

5. A buffer stop assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. ing of the brake screws 25a raises the lower friction elements and leads to the heads of the lower rails of the rail-pairs 15, 16 coming into frictional engagement with the lower sides of the heads of the friction rails 20, 21. Further frictional engagement occurs between the friction elements 26, 27 of the stirrups 24, 25 and the heads of the lower rails of the rail-pairs 15, 16, and also between the lower friction elements and said lower rails. With this frictional engagement, the railpairs 15, 16 are raised above bearing rollers 28,29 and 30, which are positioned rotatably on brackets (not shown) fixed to the impact frame. In the front area, before the front braking stirrups 24, 25, two bearing rollers are arranged coaxially and spaced from each other, whilst the rear bearing roller 30 extends continuously below both rail-pairs 15, 16. The rear bearing roller 30 is located behind the rear braking stirrups 24, 25 at the end of the impact frame 10. If, on the other hand, the brake screws 25a are slackened, the rail-pairs 15, 16 automatically lower somewhat and contact the bearing rollers 28, 29 and 30. and the individual frictional surfaces no longer touch each other. This can be seen from the buffer rail arrangement on the left in Figure 3. In this position, the buffer rail can be shifted without great effort by one operative and pushed approximately into the readiness position shown in Figure 1. The bearings of the bearing rollers 28, 29, 30 can be of any suitable form, for example roller bearings can be employed to reduce the friction. It is also conceivable to manufacture the bearing rollers of non-rusting material. It is to be understood that not only track rail shaped buffer rails, as described in the above embodiment, can be employed in the invention, but other profiles as desired, e.g. tubular, or the like. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A buffer stop assembly for rail vehicles, comprising a buffer pad mounted on at least one displaceable buffer rail which is guided for longitudinal movement on a friction element, which friction element has a wedge surface which cooperates with a wedge surface of the buffer rail and releasable braking means for bringing the wedge surfaces into frictional engagement with each other. the wedge surfaces being so arranged that the buffer rail. in the braked position, is somewhat raised as opposed to the unbraked position. at least one bearing roller being arranged below the buffer rail and which rol ler, with the buffer rail unbraked, is under load from the buffer rail and, with the buffer rail braked, is relieved from said load.